Even the Darkness Has Light
by pinkpower
Summary: Just an AU in the KH world from where Aerith and Cloud's friendship form to an eventual ending. Rated 'M' for Lemon in a later chapter. Cloud and Aerith fic!
1. A New Friend

**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.**

**Author's Note: This story is completely AU of the story Aerith and Cloud had to endure in Final Fantasy VII, since the Aerith and Cloud are generally considered AU themselves for Kingdom Hearts. So there is might be some Final Fantasy references, but basically, Cloud, Aerith, nor anybody else from Final Fantasy will have any connections to anything, but Kingdom Hearts. As far as the goes, I hope you enjoy the story, and get around to reviewing.**

The seven-year old Aerith Gainsborough ran around in the fields of the Traverse Town Elementary School with her best friend, Tifa Lockhart. The two young girls had a joyous time playing a game of tag while Leon watched with his arms crossed over his chest. He wore a small smirk as Tifa was tagged by Aerith after tripping over her shoes. Aerith ran as quickly as she could from Tifa while she screamed playfully.

"I'm going to catch you, Aerith!" Tifa exclaimed, with her left hand extending forward while Aerith turned around and stuck out her tongue. "Oh, yeah! That is so mature!"

Aerith stopped and laughed. In the shadow of a tall oak tree, the young brunette saw a boy with large, spiky blond hair sitting down watching them play. She skipped over to him, excitedly. "Hi!" The boy looked up at her with his ocean blue eyes and stared at her. He raised an annoyed eyebrow. Aerith glanced over her shoulder and saw Tifa waiting for her to return to the game, but she felt the need to stay with this strange boy. He looked so sad all by himself. "Do you want to play with us?" She received no answer. "I'm Aerith and those are my friends, Squall and Tifa." Aerith sighed, still not getting any reply from the young boy that looked like he might be her age or younger.

"Aerith, come on!" Tifa called impatiently.

"I'll be along in just a minute, Tifa!" Aerith yelled back. She turned her attention back to the boy who still seemed unaffected by anything. Aerith sat beside him with her back against the bark of the tree. At first, she wondered if this boy could talk at all, but she pushed that thought aside, thinking that she would get him to reply somehow, voice or no voice. "Am I bothering you?" He shook his head 'no,' and continued not speak. "What's your name?"

"I'm Cloud." It took every bone in her body to keep her from smiling like a total idiot, just because he had finally said something. "Your friends are waiting for, Aerith."

"They can wait just a little while longer, Cloud. Where are yours?" she questioned, curiously.

"I don't have any," he replied, in a low tone.

"Don't be silly! You have me." Aerith tugged at the pink bow from her hair and it fell loosely in her right hand. "Here's your proof." He gave her a confused look. She giggled and said, "It was my grandmother's. She gave it to me before she died. I want to give it to you. You'll keep it safe, won't you, Cloud?" He nodded and she smiled brightly. In fact, it was so bright, he thought, that it put the sun to shame. 

"Great. Now come on!" Aerith grabbed Cloud's hands and they both stood up. She dragged him out of the shadows and in the sun's light. "We're playing tag and Tifa is it. I suggest you run."

Tifa ran forward and immediately tagged the spiky-haired boy on the shoulder. "Tag! You're it."

He stood there dumbfounded for a moment, but soon started running after both Aerith and Tifa until recess ended and it was time to go inside. Leon, Tifa, Aerith, and Cloud shared parting glances with each other. Aerith and Cloud, on the other hand, locked eyes, knowing that this wasn't their newfound friendship wasn't going to end.


	2. Love's Meaning

**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.**

Aerith tied a crimson ribbon in her long, braided brunette hair, listening to Cloud's monstrous crunching noises as he ate his bag of potato chips. She truthfully feared that at the rate he was eating that he would vomit on the new shoes his mother had bought him the day before. She realized that Cloud had skipped breakfast, and it wasn't a wise thing to do, but she had to risk the glare she would receive from Cloud, so he wouldn't be sick.

She reached out with her right hand and gently gripped his left wrist. He winced in pain and Aerith quickly withdrew, forgetting about what she was about to do. "What's wrong, Cloud?"

Cloud looked at her, whipping the crumbs off his lips with a paper napkin. Aerith got up from her seat across the picnic table from Cloud and sat on his right. She examined his wrist for a brief moment, observing the purple-colored skin. Cloud seemed to be embarrassed at showing her his pain, and blushed.

Aerith looked at him with concerned emerald eyes, but Cloud decided to look back. A gentle smile touched his light pink lips. "It's nothing, Aerith."

She didn't seem like she was convinced. Aerith's eyebrows only climbed in response. "What happened?"

Cloud sighed, considering whether or not he should tell. He didn't want to look like a crybaby in front of her, but he couldn't as easily lie to her, because she always saw right through him or right into him. His mother always said that a little confession was good for the soul, but did he really want to tell Aerith? After all, it was just a little accident, and it's not like it would be such a big deal to _other _people. Alas, Aerith was not other people. Whether it was good or not, Cloud still wasn't sure.

"Leon and I were playing football, and my wrist was bent a little. I think it was sprained, but it was bruised, too." Cloud finally admitted with his head down. "I don't think it's such a big deal, Aerith. Honest."

Aerith gave him a playful glare, swatting him over the shoulder lightly. She kissed the top of Cloud's bruise very carefully. He hadn't winced or made any kind of rejection to her kiss. Aerith thought it must have been a good sign. She looked up at Cloud and he nodded, reading her thoughts like an open book just as she could his. Cloud took Aerith's wrist, looking for any cuts or bruises or her own. Nothing was there, though, just perfect, fair skin. He smiled again, taking his fingers and tracing the tender skin.

"What does 'love' mean, Aerith?" Cloud questioned, looking into her eyes.

Aerith shrugged in surprise. "Mommy says it to Daddy and me all the time and we say it back. I've asked her one time."

"What did she say?" he asked.

"She said that it's when you value somebody else's life above your own, and you would risk anything just to see them smile." Aerith replied, still confused why Cloud was so curious all of a sudden about a 

simple word. Adults always said it to each other and their families, so it seemed that love was easy to come by.

"I love you, Aerith." Cloud had finally said to her as he cheeks turned red. He was still confused about what it meant, but he did know that Aerith was his best friend and he did cherish her life more than his own. It was hard to think of his life without her there to smile at him.

Aerith giggled. "I love you, too, Cloud." Whatever that meant, Aerith was sure that she had felt it for Cloud, and her other friends, only he was a different case. She brought her lips to his bruise again. "Mommy says that a kiss can make a boo-boo feel a little bit better. So, um, why aren't Leon and Tifa here again?"

"Something about a karate tournament." Cloud shrugged, going back to his lunch.

"Not so fast, Cloudy-boy. You'll get sick if you eat so fast like you were before. You might want to slow it down."

"Well, do you want to share food? I won't eat so much if I have somebody helping me eat it." Cloud suggested, remembering the last time he had not listen to Aerith's guidance about eating so fast.

"Anything for the one I love," the girl proclaimed, taking a chip from the bag to eat it.


End file.
